1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in brooms wherein the broom head is made separate from the handle. More particularly, the invention relates to a novel broom having a broom head which includes a broom head sleeve and method of making a broom using the same.
2. Related Art
The art of broom making is very extensive including myriads of designs for various purposes. Brooms commonly include a handle and broom head which has a plurality of debris gathering fibers. The fibers are arranged in rows in a side by side lengthwise manner and are bound together and attached to the handle directly or to a head which is then attached to the handle.
To save in costs of packaging, shipping and shelf storage space, various designs for separate broom heads and handles have been made. This is desirable to the consumer for reasons that a consumer may need only replacement of a worn broom head or a broken handle.
Nevertheless, the art of making conventional wooden handle brooms with sewn broom corn fibers wound to the handle has remained popular and relatively unchanged. This is due to the fact that such broom making equipment is relatively simple and provides a consumer with an inexpensive product. In making such brooms, broom corn fibers are placed adjacent an end of the handle to become the broom head and a piece of winding is tacked through the broom corn fibers or grass to the wooden handle end. A clockwise rotatable collet attaches to another end of the wooden handle and the handle is rotated to draw the winding about the broom corn fibers in a manner to secure the broom corn fibers to the handle wherein a terminal end of the winding is stapled or tacked to the wooden handle.
There is a desire and need to continue making this type of broom yet have a separate broom head and handle, and, for the reasons stated, employ the described conventional broom making equipment to accomplish the same. Additionally, it is desired that broom handles be made from other materials, such as metal or plastic, and integrated into the conventional broom making process. Presently, no such methods or devices are available to satisfactorily accomplish this.
It is an object to improve brooms.
It is another object to improve broom manufacturing.
It is an object to solve the need described above by providing a broom corn type broom with a separable head and handle.
Accordingly, one embodiment is directed to a broom corn fiber type broom, which includes a broom head having a generally cylindrical plastic sleeve having a first end which defines an open surface extending axially therethrough and a second end which has defined partially axially extending therethrough a forward threaded open surface in communication with the open surface of the first end and further defines an open keyed surface of a predetermined configuration axially extending from the forward threaded open surface through a remainder of the second end. A plurality of broom fibers are disposed adjacent an outer surface of the sleeve and means are connected to the sleeve for binding the broom corn fibers to the sleeve. A handle having an outer diameter less than a diameter of the open surface of the first end of the sleeve and having an end having an outer diameter less than a diameter of the threaded surface of the second end of the sleeve and threaded in a complimentary manner to be received therein is threadably connected to the broom head. The broom further includes a flange extending from the second end.
Another embodiment is directed to a method for forming a broom head. The method includes the steps of (a) press-fitting a sleeve having a first end an open surface axially extending therethrough and a second end including an open keyed surface to a shaft having an external keyed end of a size and configuration to be complimentary press-fit received within the keyed surface, (b) placing broom corn fibers adjacent an outer surface of the sleeve, (c) winding a wire about the broom corn fibers in a manner to bind the broom corn fibers to the sleeve in a manner to form a broom head and (d) removing said broom head from the shaft.
Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon viewing the drawings and reading the detailed description hereafter.